DETAILED ACTION
The following is a final office action in response to applicant’s remarks/arguments 12/04/2025 for
response of the office action mailed on 9/19/2025. Claims 1-27, and 29 have been amended. Claims 1-30 remain pending in the application.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to
file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Remarks/Arguments
Applicant’s remarks/arguments (page 11-17), filed on 12/04/2025, with respect to claim 1 have been
fully considered but are moot because the new ground of rejections using a newly introduced reference (Grossmann et al.) is applied in the current rejection.
Regarding remarks in page 14-15 for independent claim 1, applicant asserts that The Office Action does not provide any reasoning as to how WU or SADIQ would be modified to arrive at the features of amended claim 1 or why the cited portion of SADIQ would render such a modification obvious.
SADIQ indicates (a resource set of the CSI resource setting may be created for active transmit beams of the first wireless device. Generally, the resource set may include a reference signal identifier for some or all of the currently active transmit beam(s) that the first wireless is using, Sadiq: [0009]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103
(or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that
are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7, 9, 11-18, 27-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 2020/0146094 Al, hereinafter “Wu”) in view of Sadiq et al. (US 2019/0268118 Al, hereinafter “Sadiq”) and in further view of Grossmann et al. (US 2023/0262693 Al, hereinafter “Grossmann”).
Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses:
A transmitter user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising (An apparatus for wireless communications at a first UE, Wu: [0008]):
a memory (apparatus may include a processor, memory in electronic communication with the processor, Wu: [0008]); and
one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to (the processor 840 may be configured to operate a memory array using a memory controller, Wu: [0179]):
transmit, to a receiver UE, a request for sensing information, wherein the request includes an indication that the receiver UE is to perform sensing (the first UE may first transmit a request message (e.g., a first message) to the second UE. In some cases, this request message may include a set of parameters for the first UE, such as transmit or receive capabilities of the first UE. UE may transmit to the second UE a radio resource configuration message including a request to establish a unicast connection over a sidelink, Wu: [0005], [0139], [0167])
and the request includes an indication of the one or more transmit beam directions over which the sensing is to be performed (Transmissions in different beam directions may be used to identify (e.g., by the base station 105, a first UE 115, or a receiving device, such as a second UE 115) a beam direction for subsequent transmission and/or reception by the base station, Wu: [0087]-[0089]); and
receive, from the receiver UE based at least in part on the indication of the one or more transmit beam directions (receiving UE may report to the transmitting UE an indication of the signal transmitted by a transmitting UE in one or more directions with acceptable signal quality. UE may employ similar techniques for transmitting signals multiple times in different directions (e.g., for identifying a beam direction for subsequent transmission or reception by the UE) or transmitting a signal in a single direction (e.g., for transmitting data to a receiving device), Wu: [0087]-[0088]),
Wu does not explicitly disclose:
one or more resource sets associated with the select beam of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Sadiq teaches:
one or more resource sets associated with the select beam of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE (The second wireless device may update the resource set any time an active transmit beam of the first wireless device changes. The resource set may include an identifier of a reference signal that is associated with an active transmit beam. In some aspects, an identifier of a reference signal that is associated with the currently active transmit beam being used for a channel may refer to the transmit beam being used for the channel being the same as the transmit beam being used for the reference signal. the first wireless device may maintain the special resource set of the CSI resource setting that is associated with some or all of the active transmit beams of the second wireless device, Sadiq: [0043], [0087]-[0091], [0102]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu in view of Sadiq in order to further modify one or more resource sets that are associated with the select beam of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE from the teachings of Sadiq.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a resource set of the CSI resource setting may be created for active transmit beams of the first wireless device. Generally, the resource set may include a reference signal identifier for some or all of the currently active transmit beam(s) that the first wireless is using (Sadiq: [0009]).
Yet, Wu in view of Sadiq does not explicitly disclose:
using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Grossmann teaches:
using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions (The term 'Tx beam' denotes a spatially selective/directive transmission and the term 'Rx beam' denotes a spatially selective/directive reception. The set of coefficients used to precode/filter the transmission or reception is denoted by the term 'spatial filter'. The term 'spatial filter' is used interchangeably with the term 'beam direction' as the spatial filter coefficients determine the direction in which a transmission/reception is spatially directed to. The UE measures each of the configured DL RS by receiving them using one or more spatial filters-the RSs may all be received with the same spatial filter or a different spatial filter may be used to receive each RS. an SSB, the PUCCH resource, SRS resource, or PUSCH may be transmitted with the same spatial filter (or a spatial filter derived from the spatial filter) or beam direction used for the reception of the SSB, Grossmann: [0013], [0033], [0091], [0114]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu and Sadiq in view of Grossmann in order to further modify using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions from the teachings of Grossmann.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because improving the flexibility of beam management for UEs with multi-beam capabilities. The application or derivation of a spatial filter or
spatial relation or beam direction from a DL RS resource or an UL RS resource indicated in the Information element for the transmission of a PUCCH resource, an SRS resource (Grossmann: [0112], [0292]).
Regarding claim 2, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wu further discloses:
The transmitter UE of claim 1, wherein the request for the one or more resource sets is a request for the receiver UE to perform sensing based at least in part on the one or more transmit beam directions and to transmit the sensing information to the transmitter UE (data signals associated with a particular receiving device, may be transmitted by a base station 105 or a first UE 115 in a single beam direction (e.g., a direction associated with the receiving device, such as a second UE. receiving UE 115 may report to the base station 105 or the transmitting UE 115 an indication of the signal it received with a highest signal quality, or an otherwise acceptable signal quality, Wu: [0087]-[0088]).
Regarding claim 3, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wu further discloses:
The transmitter UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more transmit beam directions correspond to one or more transmit beam directions associated with a possible transmission by the transmitter UE (Transmissions in different beam directions may be used to identify (e.g., by the base station 105, a first UE 115, or a receiving device, such as a second UE 115) a beam direction for subsequent transmission and/or reception by the base station, Wu: [0087]-[0088]).
Regarding claim 5, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wu further discloses:
The transmitter UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more transmit beam directions correspond to one or more transmit beam directions to be used by the receiver UE for performing a sensing operation (receiving device may use a single receive beam to receive along a single beam direction (e.g., when receiving a data signal). The single receive beam may be aligned in a beam direction determined based at least in part on listening according to different receive beam directions (e.g., a beam direction determined to have a highest signal strength, highest signal-to-noise ratio, or otherwise acceptable signal quality based at least in part on listening according to multiple beam directions), Wu: [0089]).
Regarding claim 7, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wu further discloses:
The transmitter UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit traffic information that indicates at least one of a payload size, an estimated modulation coding scheme, a periodicity, or a priority associated with a transmission (Receiver 510 may receive information such as packets, user data, or control information associated with various information channels ( e.g., control channels, data channels, and information related to beam reporting for active beams, etc.), Wu: [0118])
Regarding claim 9, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wu further discloses:
transmit the request for the sensing information periodically based at least in part on a configured interval or an interval that is indicated by radio resource control information (To maintain this unicast connection on sidelink 230, UE 115-a and/or UE 115-b may transmit a keep alive message (e.g., RRCDirectLink:Alive message, a fourth RRC message, etc.). In some cases, the keep alive message may be triggered periodically or ondemand (e.g., event-triggered), Wu: [0120]).
Wu does not explicitly disclose:
The transmitter UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors, to transmit the request for the sensing information, are configured to transmit the request for the sensing information in accordance with a transmission occasion, and wherein the one or more processors, to transmit the request for the sensing information in accordance with the transmission occasion, are configured to:
transmit the request for the sensing information each time that a transport block is to be transmitted by the transmitter UE; or
However, in the same field of endeavor, Sadiq teaches:
wherein the one or more processors, to transmit the request for the sensing information, are configured to transmit the request for the sensing information in accordance with a transmission occasion, and wherein the one or more processors, to transmit the request for the sensing information in accordance with the transmission occasion, are configured to (Transmissions in different beam directions may be used to identify (e.g., by the base station 105 or a receiving device, such as a UE 115) a beam direction for subsequent transmission and/or reception by the base station. UE 115 may report to the base station 105 an indication of the signal it received with a highest signal quality, or an otherwise acceptable signal quality, Sadiq: [0063]-[0064]]):
transmit the request for the sensing information each time that a transport block is to be transmitted by the transmitter UE (first wireless device may be configured with CSI reference signal (RS) resources, SS/PBCH block resources, or both CSI-RS and SS/PBCH block resources, Sadiq: [0098]-[0099]); or
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu in view of Sadiq in order to further modify transmitting the request for the sensing information in accordance with the transmission occasion and transmitting the request for the sensing information each time that a transport block is to be transmitted by the transmitter UE from the teachings of Sadiq.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a resource set of the CSI resource setting may be created for active transmit beams of the first wireless device. Generally, the resource set may include a reference signal identifier for some or all of the currently active transmit beam(s) that the first wireless is using (Sadiq: [0009]).
Regarding claim 11, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wu further discloses:
The transmitter UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive resource information from the receiver UE that indicates a plurality of resources for performing a transmission (the request message, the response message, and the connection complete message may be transmitted via radio resource control (RRC) signaling. Additionally, the unicast connection may be established based on parameters (e.g., capabilities, connection parameters, etc.) for the first UE and/or the second UE that are transmitted in the respective request message and/or response message, Wu: [0067], [0133]).
Regarding claim 12, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 11 above.
Wu further discloses:
The transmitter UE of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to select a resource from the plurality of resources, and perform a transmission of one or more packets via the selected resource (the request message, the response message, and the connection complete message may be transmitted via radio resource control (RRC) signaling. Additionally, the unicast connection may be established based on parameters (e.g., capabilities, connection parameters, etc.) for the first UE and/or the second UE that are transmitted in the respective request message and/or response message, Wu: [0067], [0133]).
Regarding claim 13, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 12 above.
Wu further discloses:
The transmitter UE of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors, to select the resource from the plurality of resources, are configured to combine one or more transmitter UE resources with the plurality of resources to generate a combined resource set, and select the resource from the combined resource set (a wireless communications resource may refer to a combination of a radiofrequency spectrum resource, a time resource, and a spatial resource (e.g., spatial layers), and the use of multiple spatial layers may further increase the data rate for communications with a UE. one or more PHY layer parameters may include one or more of a transmit format for the unicast connection, a radio resource configuration for the unicast connection, or a supported band for the unicast connection., Wu: [0099], [0133]).
Regarding claim 14, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wu further discloses:
The transmitter UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to identify a sleep occasion or a sleep cycle based at least in part on resource information that is received from the receiver UE (MAC CE, or a discontinous reception (DRX) cycle may be used. entering a power saving "deep sleep" mode when not engaging in active communications, or operating over a limited bandwidth (e.g., according to narrowband communications), Wu: [0076], [0124]).
Regarding claim 15, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 14 above.
Wu further discloses:
The transmitter UE of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an indication of the sleep occasion or the sleep cycle to the receiver UE (UEs 115 may be configured to employ operating modes that reduce power consumption. power conservation techniques for UEs 115 include entering a power saving "deep sleep" mode when not engaging in active communications, or operating over a limited bandwidth (e.g., according to narrowband communications), Wu: [0076]).
Regarding claim 16, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wu further discloses:
The transmitter UE of claim 1, wherein the transmitter UE is configured to enable or disable sensing operations by the transmitter UE, and wherein transmitting the request for the sensing information comprises transmitting the request for the sensing information based at least in part on receiving a packet from an upper layer device (the connection establishment 225 may be a third RRC message (e.g., an RRCDirectConnectionSetupComplete message). Each of the connection request 215, the connection response 220, and the connection establishment 225 may use a basic capability when being transported from one of the UEs 115 to the other UE 115 to enable each UE 115 to be able to receive and decode a corresponding transmission (e.g., RRC message), Wu: [0115]).
Regarding claim 17, Wu discloses:
A receiver user equipment (UE) for wireless communication at a receiver user equipment (UE), comprising (An apparatus for wireless communications at a second UE, Wu: [0033]):
one or more memories (The apparatus may include a processor, memory, Wu: [0033]); and
one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to (The apparatus may include a processor, memory in electronic communication with the processor, Wu: [0033]):
receive, from a transmitter UE, a request for sensing information, wherein the request includes an indication that the receiver UE is to perform sensing (first UE may first transmit a request message (e.g., a first message) to the second UE. In some cases, this request message may include a set of parameters for the first UE, such as transmit or receive capabilities of the first UE. the beam direction associated with transmissions along a single beam direction may be determined based at least in part on a signal that was transmitted in different beam directions. For example, a receiving UE 115 may receive one or more of the signals transmitted by a base station 105 or a transmitting UE 115 in different directions, Wu: [0005], [0139], [0167]);
and the request includes an indication of the one or more transmit beam directions over which the sensing is to be performed (Transmissions in different beam directions may be used to identify (e.g., by the base station 105, a first UE 115, or a receiving device, such as a second UE 115) a beam direction for subsequent transmission and/or reception by the base station, Wu: [0087]-[0089])
transmit, to the transmitter UE, an indication of the one or more resource sets associated with the select beam (receiving UE may report to the transmitting UE an indication of the signal it received with a highest signal quality. UE may employ similar techniques for transmitting signals multiple times in different directions or transmitting a signal in a single direction, Wu: [0087]-[0088]).
Wu does not explicitly disclose:
perform a sensing operation associated with the select beam, of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Sadiq teaches:
perform a sensing operation associated with the select beam, of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE (The second wireless device may perform channel measurements on the reference signals that are identified in the resource set and transmit feedback signals to the first wireless device based on the channel measurements, Sadiq: [0009]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu in view of Sadiq in order to further modify performing a sensing operation associated with a select beam, of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE from the teachings of Sadiq.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a resource set of the CSI resource setting may be created for active transmit beams of the first wireless device. Generally, the resource set may include a reference signal identifier for some or all of the currently active transmit beam(s) that the first wireless is using (Sadiq: [0009]).
Yet, Wu in view of Sadiq does not explicitly disclose:
using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Grossmann teaches:
using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions (The term 'Tx beam' denotes a spatially selective/directive transmission and the term 'Rx beam' denotes a spatially selective/directive reception. The set of coefficients used to precode/filter the transmission or reception is denoted by the term 'spatial filter'. The term 'spatial filter' is used interchangeably with the term 'beam direction' as the spatial filter coefficients determine the direction in which a transmission/reception is spatially directed to. The UE measures each of the configured DL RS by receiving them using one or more spatial filters-the RSs may all be received with the same spatial filter or a different spatial filter may be used to receive each RS. an SSB, the PUCCH resource, SRS resource, or PUSCH may be transmitted with the same spatial filter (or a spatial filter derived from the spatial filter) or beam direction used for the reception of the SSB, Grossmann: [0013], [0033], [0091], [0114]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu and Sadiq in view of Grossmann in order to further modify using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions from the teachings of Grossmann.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because improving the flexibility of beam management for UEs with multi-beam capabilities. The application or derivation of a spatial filter or
spatial relation or beam direction from a DL RS resource or an UL RS resource indicated in the Information element for the transmission of a PUCCH resource, an SRS resource (Grossmann: [0112], [0292]).
Regarding claim 18, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 17 above.
Wu further discloses:
The receiver UE of claim 17, wherein the request for the sensing information is not multiplexed with data (the request message, the response message, and the connection complete message may be transmitted via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, Wu: [0067]).
Regarding claim 27, Wu discloses:
A method of wireless communication performed by a transmitter user equipment, comprising (UE) (A method of wireless communications at a first UE (e.g., an initiating UE), Wu: [0007]):
transmitting, to a receiver UE, a request for sensing information wherein the request includes an indication that the receiver UE is to perform sensing (the first UE may first transmit a request message (e.g., a first message) to the second UE. In some cases, this request message may include a set of parameters for the first UE, such as transmit or receive capabilities of the first UE. UE may transmit to the second UE a radio resource configuration message including a request to establish a unicast connection over a sidelink. Wu: [0005], [0139], [0167])
and the request includes an indication of one or more transmit beam directions over which the sensing is to be performed (Transmissions in different beam directions may be used to identify (e.g., by the base station 105, a first UE 115, or a receiving device, such as a second UE 115) a beam direction for subsequent transmission and/or reception by the base station, Wu: [0087]-[0089]); and
receiving, from the receiver UE based at least in part on the indication of the one or more transmit beam directions (receiving UE may report to the transmitting UE an indication of the signal transmitted by a transmitting UE in one or more directions with acceptable signal quality. UE may employ similar techniques for transmitting signals multiple times in different directions (e.g., for identifying a beam direction for subsequent transmission or reception by the UE) or transmitting a signal in a single direction (e.g., for transmitting data to a receiving device), Wu: [0087]-[0088]),
Wu does not explicitly disclose:
one or more resource sets associated with the select beam of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Sadiq teaches:
one or more resource sets associated with the select beam of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE (The second wireless device may update the resource set any time an active transmit beam of the first wireless device changes. The resource set may include an identifier of a reference signal that is associated with an active transmit beam. In some aspects, an identifier of a reference signal that is associated with the currently active transmit beam being used for a channel may refer to the transmit beam being used for the channel being the same as the transmit beam being used for the reference signal. the first wireless device may maintain the special resource set of the CSI resource setting that is associated with some or all of the active transmit beams of the second wireless device, Sadiq: [0043], [0087]-[0091], [0102]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu in view of Sadiq in order to further modify one or more resource sets that are associated with a beam of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE from the teachings of Sadiq.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a resource set of the CSI resource setting may be created for active transmit beams of the first wireless device. Generally, the resource set may include a reference signal identifier for some or all of the currently active transmit beam(s) that the first wireless is using (Sadiq: [0009]).
Yet, Wu in view of Sadiq does not explicitly disclose:
using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Grossmann teaches:
using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions (The term 'Tx beam' denotes a spatially selective/directive transmission and the term 'Rx beam' denotes a spatially selective/directive reception. The set of coefficients used to precode/filter the transmission or reception is denoted by the term 'spatial filter'. The term 'spatial filter' is used interchangeably with the term 'beam direction' as the spatial filter coefficients determine the direction in which a transmission/reception is spatially directed to. The UE measures each of the configured DL RS by receiving them using one or more spatial filters-the RSs may all be received with the same spatial filter or a different spatial filter may be used to receive each RS. an SSB, the PUCCH resource, SRS resource, or PUSCH may be transmitted with the same spatial filter (or a spatial filter derived from the spatial filter) or beam direction used for the reception of the SSB, Grossmann: [0013], [0033], [0091], [0114]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu and Sadiq in view of Grossmann in order to further modify using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions from the teachings of Grossmann.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because improving the flexibility of beam management for UEs with multi-beam capabilities. The application or derivation of a spatial filter or
spatial relation or beam direction from a DL RS resource or an UL RS resource indicated in the Information element for the transmission of a PUCCH resource, an SRS resource (Grossmann: [0112], [0292]).
Regarding claim 28, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 27 above.
Wu further discloses:
The method of claim 27, wherein the one or more transmit beam directions correspond to one or more transmit beam directions associated with a possible transmission by the transmitter UE or one or more transmit beam directions to be used by the receiver UE for performing a sensing operation (Transmissions in different beam directions may be used to identify (e.g., by the base station 105, a first UE 115, or a receiving device, such as a second UE 115) a beam direction for subsequent transmission and/or reception by the base station, Wu: [0087]-[0088]).
Regarding claim 29, Wu discloses:
A method of wireless communication performed by a receiver user equipment (UE), comprising (A method of wireless communications at a second UE (e.g., a target UE), Wu: [0032]):
receiving, from a transmitter UE, a request for sensing information, wherein the request includes an indication that the receiver UE is to perform (first UE may first transmit a request message (e.g., a first message) to the second UE. In some cases, this request message may include a set of parameters for the first UE, such as transmit or receive capabilities of the first UE. the beam direction associated with transmissions along a single beam direction may be determined based at least in part on a signal that was transmitted in different beam directions. For example, a receiving UE 115 may receive one or more of the signals transmitted by a base station 105 or a transmitting UE 115 in different directions, Wu: [0005], [0087]-[0089], [0139], [0167]);
and the request includes an indication of the one or more transmit beam directions over which the sensing is to be performed (Transmissions in different beam directions may be used to identify (e.g., by the base station 105, a first UE 115, or a receiving device, such as a second UE 115) a beam direction for subsequent transmission and/or reception by the base station, Wu: [0087]-[0089]);
transmitting, to the transmitter UE, an indication of one or more resource sets associated with the select beam (receiving UE may report to the transmitting UE an indication of the signal it received with a highest signal quality. UE may employ similar techniques for transmitting signals multiple times in different directions or transmitting a signal in a single direction, Wu: [0087]-[0088]).
Wu does not explicitly disclose:
performing a sensing operation associated with the select beam, of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Wu teaches:
performing a sensing operation associated with the select beam, of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE (The second wireless device may perform channel measurements on the reference signals that are identified in the resource set and transmit feedback signals to the first wireless device based on the channel measurements, Sadiq: [0009]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu in view of Sadiq in order to further modify performing a sensing operation associated with a select beam, of a plurality of beams configured for communications between the transmitter UE and the receiver UE from the teachings of Sadiq.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a resource set of the CSI resource setting may be created for active transmit beams of the first wireless device. Generally, the resource set may include a reference signal identifier for some or all of the currently active transmit beam(s) that the first wireless is using (Sadiq: [0009]).
Yet, Wu in view of Sadiq does not explicitly disclose:
using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Grossmann teaches:
using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions (The term 'Tx beam' denotes a spatially selective/directive transmission and the term 'Rx beam' denotes a spatially selective/directive reception. The set of coefficients used to precode/filter the transmission or reception is denoted by the term 'spatial filter'. The term 'spatial filter' is used interchangeably with the term 'beam direction' as the spatial filter coefficients determine the direction in which a transmission/reception is spatially directed to. The UE measures each of the configured DL RS by receiving them using one or more spatial filters-the RSs may all be received with the same spatial filter or a different spatial filter may be used to receive each RS. an SSB, the PUCCH resource, SRS resource, or PUSCH may be transmitted with the same spatial filter (or a spatial filter derived from the spatial filter) or beam direction used for the reception of the SSB, Grossmann: [0013], [0033], [0091], [0114]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu and Sadiq in view of Grossmann in order to further modify using a first spatial filtering coefficient quasi co-located with a second spatial filtering coefficient of a select beam having a beam direction of one or more transmit beam directions from the teachings of Grossmann.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because improving the flexibility of beam management for UEs with multi-beam capabilities. The application or derivation of a spatial filter or
spatial relation or beam direction from a DL RS resource or an UL RS resource indicated in the Information element for the transmission of a PUCCH resource, an SRS resource (Grossmann: [0112], [0292]).
Claims 4, 6, 10, 19-26, and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu in view
of Sadiq and in further view of Grossmann and in further view of Farag (US 2021/0250772 Al, hereinafter “Farag”).
Regarding claim 4, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 3 above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
The transmitter UE of claim 3, wherein the one or more transmit beam directions associated with the possible transmission by the transmitter UE are indicated by a transmission configuration information indicator, a beam codebook indicator, or a precoder index associated with the possible transmission by the transmitter UE.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Farag teaches:
wherein the one or more transmit beam directions associated with the possible transmission by the transmitter UE are indicated by a transmission configuration information indicator, a beam codebook indicator, or a precoder index associated with the possible transmission by the transmitter UE (receive path is configured to support the codebook design and structure for systems having 2D antenna arrays, Farag: [0113]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Farag in order to further modify indicating by a transmission configuration information indicator, a beam codebook indicator, or a precoder index associated with the possible transmission by the transmitter UE from the teachings of Farag.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Farag: [0117]).
Regarding claim 6, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an indication of a time window or a resource selection window during which resource information is to be received by the transmitter UE from the receiver UE.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Farag teaches:
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an indication of a time window or a resource selection window during which resource information is to be received by the transmitter UE from the receiver UE (sidelink resource may be randomly selected from available sidelink resources for the sidelink resource selection window, Farag: [0012], [0015]-[0017]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Farag in order to further modify resource selection window during which resource information is to be received from the teachings of Farag.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Farag: [0117]).
Regarding claim 10, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
The transmitter UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors, to transmit the request for the sensing information, are configured to transmit a request for sensing information that is multiplexed with data.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Farag teaches:
wherein the one or more processors, to transmit the request for the sensing information, are configured to transmit a request for sensing information that is multiplexed with data (the first SCI format is multiplexed on a PSCCH and the second SCI format is multiplexed along with SL data on a PSSCH that is transmitted in physical resources indicated by the first SCI format, Farag: [0141], [0147]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Farag in order to further modify the sensing information that is multiplexed with data from the teachings of Farag.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Farag: [0117]).
Regarding claim 19, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 18 above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
The receiver UE of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine that the receiver UE is capable of performing the sensing operation during a time window based at least in part on scheduling information associated with the receiver UE.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Farag teaches:
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine that the receiver UE is capable of performing the sensing operation during a time window based at least in part on scheduling information associated with the receiver UE (sidelink resource may be selected from available sidelink resources for the sidelink resource selection time window. gNB schedules a UE on the sidelink and conveys scheduling information to the UE transmitting on the sidelink through a DCI format, Farag: [0012], [0015]-[0017], [0142]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Farag in order to further modify determining the capability of performing the sensing operation during a time window based from the teachings of Farag.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Farag: [0117]).
Regarding claim 20, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann-Farag teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 19 above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
The receiver UE of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an acknowledgement message to the transmitter UE indicating that the receiver UE is to perform the sensing operation during the time window.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Farag teaches:
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an acknowledgement message to the transmitter UE indicating that the receiver UE is to perform the sensing operation during the time window (sidelink resource may be selected from available sidelink resources for the sidelink resource selection time window. physical SL feedback channels conveying hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information in response to correct (ACK value) or incorrect (NACK value) transport block receptions in respective PSSCHs, Farag: [0012], [0015]-[0017],[0147]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Farag in order to further modify transmitting an acknowledgement message to the transmitter UE indicating that the receiver UE is to perform the sensing operation during the time window from the teachings of Farag.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Farag: [0117]).
Regarding claim 21, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 17 above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
The receiver UE of claim 17, wherein the request for the sensing information is multiplexed with data.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Farag teaches:
wherein the request for the sensing information is multiplexed with data (the first SCI format is multiplexed on a PSCCH and the second SCI format is multiplexed along with SL data on a PSSCH that is transmitted in physical resources indicated by the first SCI format, Farag: [0141], [0147]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Farag in order to further modify the sensing information that is multiplexed with data from the teachings of Farag.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Farag: [0117]).
Regarding claim 22, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann-Farag teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 21 above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
The receiver UE of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an acknowledgement message to the transmitter UE based at least in part on decoding the data, transmit an acknowledgement message to the transmitter UE based at least in part on decoding the data and determining that the receiver UE is to perform the sensing operation, or
transmit first feedback to the transmitter UE associated with the data via a first resource and transmitting second feedback to the transmitter UE associated with the request for the sensing information via a second resource.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Farag teaches:
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an acknowledgement message to the transmitter UE based at least in part on decoding the data, transmit an acknowledgement message to the transmitter UE based at least in part on decoding the data and determining that the receiver UE is to perform the sensing operation (UE can attempt to decode a transport block (TB) in a PSSCH reception if the UE detects an SCI format scheduling the TB reception through a corresponding PSSCH. if the UE fails to correctly decode the TB, the UE multiplexes a negative acknowledgement (NACK) in a PSFCH transmission, Farag: [0248]-[0251]), or
transmit first feedback to the transmitter UE associated with the data via a first resource and transmitting second feedback to the transmitter UE associated with the request for the sensing information via a second resource (if the UE correctly decodes the TB, the UE multiplexes an ACK in a PSFCH transmission. if the UE does not correctly decode the TB, the UE multiplexes a NACK in a PSFCH transmission, Farag: [0248]-[0251]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Farag in order to further modify transmitting an acknowledgement message to the transmitter UE based at least in part on decoding the data and transmitting feedback to the transmitter UE from the teachings of Farag.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Farag: [0117]).
Regarding claim 23, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 17 above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
The receiver UE of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors, to perform the sensing operation associated with the select beam, are configured to sense a channel using the select beam during a time window.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Farag teaches:
wherein the one or more processors, to perform the sensing operation associated with the select beam, are configured to sense a channel using the select beam during a time window (sidelink resource may be randomly selected from available sidelink resources for the sidelink resource selection window, Farag: [0012], [0015]-[0017]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Farag in order to further modify performing the sensing operation associated with the select beam and configuring to sense a channel using the select beam during a time window from the teachings of Farag.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Farag: [0117]).
Regarding claim 24, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann-Farag teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 23 above.
Wu further discloses:
The receiver UE of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors, to sense the channel using the select beam, are configured to set a spatial filtering coefficient to a spatial filtering coefficient that is quasi co-located with a candidate receiver beam and to perform the sensing operation for the one or more transmit beam directions during the time window (Beamforming, which may also be referred to as spatial filtering, directional transmission, or directional reception, is a signal processing technique that may be used at a transmitting device or a receiving device ( e.g., a base station 105 or a UE 115) to shape or steer an antenna beam (e.g., a transmit beam or receive beam) along a spatial path between the transmitting device and the receiving device, Wu: [0085]-[0086]).
Regarding claim 25, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 17 above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
The receiver UE of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an indication of a preferred resource or a non-preferred resource to the transmitter UE.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Farag teaches:
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an indication of a preferred resource or a non-preferred resource to the transmitter UE (UE can determine preferred resources based on a UE identity (ID), on a data priority level of a sidelink transmission, on a location of the UE, and/or on other UE characteristics, Farag: [0295]-[0297]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Farag in order to further modify transmitting an indication of a preferred resource or a non-preferred resource to the transmitter UE from the teachings of Farag.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Farag: [0117]).
Regarding claim 26, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann-Farag teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 25above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
The receiver UE of claim 25, wherein the one or more processors, to transmit the indication of the preferred resource or the non-preferred resource to the transmitter UE, are configured to transmit the indication of the preferred resource or the non-preferred resource to the transmitter UE at a time after an end of a sensing window.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Farag teaches:
wherein the one or more processors, to transmit the indication of the preferred resource or the non-preferred resource to the transmitter UE, are configured to transmit the indication of the preferred resource or the non-preferred resource to the transmitter UE at a time after an end of a sensing window (timing restrictions for sidelink resource selection may include sidelink resource occurs no earlier than a maximum delay from an end of the sidelink resource selection window, Farag: [0015]-[0017], [0256]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Farag in order to further modify transmitting the indication of the preferred resource or the non-preferred resource to the transmitter UE at a time after an end of a sensing window from the teachings of Farag.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Farag: [0117]).
Regarding claim 30, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 29 above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
The method of claim 29, further comprising transmitting an acknowledgement message to the transmitter UE indicating that the receiver UE is to perform the sensing operation during a time window.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Farag teaches:
further comprising transmitting an acknowledgement message to the transmitter UE indicating that the receiver UE is to perform the sensing operation during a time window (sidelink resource may be selected from available sidelink resources for the sidelink resource selection time window. physical SL feedback channels conveying hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information in response to correct (ACK value) or incorrect (NACK value) transport block receptions in respective PSSCHs, Farag: [0012], [0015]-[0017],[0147]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Farag in order to further modify transmitting an acknowledgement message to the transmitter UE indicating that the receiver UE is to perform the sensing operation during the time window from the teachings of Farag.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Farag: [0117]).
Claim 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu in view of Sadiq and in further view of Grossmann and in further view of DI GIROLAMO et al. (US 2023/0171738 Al, hereinafter “Di”).
Regarding claim 8, Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann do not explicitly disclose:
The transmitter UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors, to transmit the request for the sensing information, are configured to
transmit a sidelink radio resource control (RRC) message, sidelink control information (SCI), or a sidelink medium access control (MAC) message, via a sidelink channel, that includes the request for the sensing information;
transmit the sidelink RRC message, the SCI, or the sidelink MAC message, via a dedicated channel for requesting sensing information, that includes the request for the sensing information; or
transmit the request for the sensing information as a sequence via the dedicated channel, wherein a resource associated with the sequence is based at least in part on a transmitter UE identifier, a receiver UE identifier, or a group identifier.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Di teaches:
transmit a sidelink radio resource control (RRC) message, sidelink control information (SCI), or a sidelink medium access control (MAC) message, via a sidelink channel, that includes the request for the sensing information (UE may send a request for assistance information. This request may be sent via an RRC message, a MAC CE message, a field in the Sidelink Control Information (SCI), Di: [0129]-[0132]);
transmit the sidelink RRC message, the SCI, or the sidelink MAC message, via a dedicated channel for requesting sensing information, that includes the request for the sensing information (MAC layer may need to consider any configured sidelink grants as well as sensing information, Di: [0081]-[0084]); or
transmit the request for the sensing information as a sequence via the dedicated channel, wherein a resource associated with the sequence is based at least in part on a transmitter UE identifier, a receiver UE identifier, or a group identifier (there are multiple requests from multiple requester UEs, the assistant UE may combine the assistance information and transmit the information to all of Requestor UEs together. the assistant UE may multiplex multiple assistance information and transmit via groupcast or broadcast, Di: [0165]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wu-Sadiq-Grossmann in view of Di in order to further modify indicating at least one of a payload size, an estimated modulation coding scheme, a periodicity, or a priority associated with a transmission from the teachings of Di.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because MAC PDU is built by selecting data from the logical channels that have traffic to the destination and each of UEs may implement a transmit path for transmitting in the sidelink to another one of UEs and may implement a receive path for receiving in the sidelink from another one of UEs (Di: [0225]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action.
Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/S.C.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2467
/Robert C Scheibel/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467 February 5, 2026